The NJDEP is seeking comment from the public on the proposed SIP revision,
and will accept written and/or oral testimony at a public hearing to be held on:

Tuesday, January 5, 1999 at 10:00 a.m.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
First Floor Public Hearing Room
401 East State Street
Trenton, New Jersey

Written comments relevant to the proposed SIP revision may be submitted
to the address given in the proposed SIP revision until close of business
Monday, January 11, 1999.

BACKGROUND:

The Department has submitted to the USEPA a proposed revision to New Jersey's
Phase I Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP); specifically its 15 percent ROP plans.
The original plans were submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) on December 31, 1996. The USEPA granted conditional interim approval to New
Jersey's Phase I Ozone SIP submittal, including its 15 percent ROP plans, on
June 30, 1997. On December 12, 1997, the USEPA converted its approval of New Jersey's
15 percent ROP plans to a disapproval after making the determination that the emission
reduction benefits claimed by the State in these plans for its enhanced inspection and
maintenance (I/M) program would not be timely realized due to implementation delays.
In the December 12, 1997 action, the USEPA did not take any negative action regarding
New Jersey's 24 percent ROP plans; they remain approved. Estimates indicated that the
required 24% ROP Plan emissions will be achieved even without the enhanced I/M program
by its incorporation of significant emission reductions in oxides of nitrogen (NOx).
These NOx reductions were achieved by the Department's Reasonably Available Control
Technology (RACT) program in the 1995 timeframe. Additional NOx reductions will be
achieved in the summer of 1999 as required by the Department's NOx budget program.

The USEPA has stated that to stop the sanction and FIP processes pending in
the State due to the disapproval action, New Jersey must submit revised 15 percent
ROP plans which include adopted State rules that provide for the necessary volatile
organic compound (VOC) emission reductions and which are approved by the USEPA.
The State's revised 15 percent ROP plans include all the measures of the original
plans, except for the enhanced I/M program, and also include several new non-highway
source measures to meet the emission target. These new measures include credit for:
1) the USEPA spark ignition small engine regulation; 2) the USEPA Architectural
Coatings regulation; 3) the USEPA Autobody Refinishing regulation; 4) the National
Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV) program; 5) the New Jersey Landfill Control Program;
and, 6) the New Jersey Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) program.
The latter two programs were in place in 1996, but the State did not take credit
for them in its original 15 percent plans. The State is also taking credit in its
revised 15 percent ROP plans for its basic I/M program, which will continue to be
enforced until it is superseded by the full implementation of the new enhanced I/M
program.

In addition to its revisions of the 15 percent ROP plans, the State has also
included an updated Transportation Conformity budget for the year 1999 which
reflects the shift in the burden of emission reductions away from highway vehicle
control programs in the revised plans.